Method for manufacturing a semiconductor device and method for etching the same

ABSTRACT

A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device with a dual damascene structure is comprising the steps of preparing a semiconductor substrate, forming a first wiring layer over said semiconductor substrate, forming an inorganic insulating film over said first wiring layer, forming a via hole in said inorganic insulating film by forming a first resist pattern with an opening on said inorganic insulating film and by etching said inorganic insulating film with said first resist pattern as an etching mask, eliminating said first resist pattern, forming an organic insulating film so that said organic insulting film covers an upper side of said inorganic insulating film and an interior of said via hole, forming a hard mask on said organic insulating film, forming a hard mask pattern by forming a second resist pattern with an opening on said hard mask and by etching said hard mask with said second resist pattern as an etching mask, forming a wiring groove by etching said organic insulating film with said second resist pattern and said hard mask pattern as etching masks until said organic insulating film inside said via hole is eliminated and simultaneously eliminating said second resist pattern, and implanting a conductive substance into said via hole and said wiring groove.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device and a method for etching the same.

2. Background Information

Recently, the performance and function of semiconductor devices has been advanced. For example, the operating frequency of microprocessors has entered a new “GHz band” era, and a system that mounts a plurality of circuits with different functions on one semiconductor chip, a so-called a system-on-chip (SOC), has entered the field. This semiconductor device employs a multilayer wiring structure in which wirings are formed in a plurality of layers in the thickness direction of the semiconductor device in order to improve its degree of integration. In particular, a multilayer wiring structure referred to as a dual damascene structure has been developed in these years. A dual damascene structure is a further advancement of the damascene structure. In the damascene structure, Cu is used as a wiring material because of its low-resistance and high electromigration resistance properties, and wiring is implanted with the chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) method. On the other hand, in the dual damascene method, a wiring groove and a via hole are formed in the interlayer insulating film, and a conductive substance such as Cu is simultaneously implanted in the groove and the hole. Thus, an upper layer wiring and a via plug are formed at one time. Therefore, the manufacturing cost of a semiconductor device is reduced in the dual damascene method, compared to a normal damascene method, a so-called single damascene method, in which a wiring groove and a via hole are separately formed.

In a semiconductor device with a multilayer wiring structure, the operation speed of the semiconductor device is highly influenced by not only the resistance value of the wiring itself, but also by the inter-wiring capacitance formed by an interlayer insulating film that is formed in a place between a lower layer wiring and an upper layer wiring. Therefore, the resistance of the wiring itself and the inter-wiring capacitance have to be reduced in order to realize an increase in the operation speed of a semiconductor device. To reduce the inter-wiring capacitance, it is required to reduce the dielectric constant of an interlayer insulating film by using a low dielectric constant film, a so-called a low-k film, as an interlayer insulating film. Also, it is required to take the wiring structure into consideration from the perspective of reducing the effective dielectric constant (keff). In general, the dual damascene structure is classified roughly into two structures. One is the so-called homogeneous structure. This is a unitary structure in which the same type of low-k film is used as the insulating film for a wiring portion and for a via hole portion. The other is the so-called hybrid structure. This is a heterogeneous structure in which different types of low-k films are used as the insulating film for a wiring portion and for a via hole portion. In the homogeneous structure, the depth of the wiring grooves is controlled. Therefore, it is required to use a film with a high dielectric constant, such as a silicon nitride film (relative dielectric constant: k=7.0) and a silicon carbide film (k=4.5) as an etching stopper layer. Because of this, the homogeneous structure has a disadvantage in that the value of the effective dielectric constant (keff) becomes high. On the other hand, in the hybrid structure, it is easy to set the etch selectivity between substances of different low-k film to be higher. Therefore, it is not required to use an etching stopper layer with a high dielectric constant, such as silicon nitride film and silicon carbide film. Because of this, the hybrid structure has an advantage in that the effective dielectric constant (keff) of the whole wiring structure can be reduced, compared to the homogeneous structure.

Japanese Patent Publication JP-A-2002-124568 (especially pages 6-7 and FIG. 2) describes a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device with the hybrid type dual damascene structure. Generally, in manufacturing a dual damascene structure of a semiconductor device, the corners of a hard mask used for forming a wiring groove and a via hole tend to be eliminated and inclined from the perpendicular during the process of etching an interlayer insulating film. This state is called the facet of a hard mask. If a facet state is produced, the wiring size of the hard mask will be wider than the design value. In some cases, this causes a short circuit between a wiring and its adjacent wiring. Because of this, there is a possibility that reliability will be lowered and the yield will be negatively influenced. In a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device described in Japanese Patent Publication JP-A-2002-124568, a facet of a hard mask is prevented in the process of etching by forming at least a layer of a dummy film, which does not exist in the structure at the end of the process of forming a semiconductor device, on the hard mask.

As described above, in manufacturing a dual damascene structure, there is a problem in that a facet of a hard mask is produced in the process of etching an interlayer insulating film. If a facet of a hard mask is produced, acceleration of etching will begin in the portion where the facet is produced, and this will cause a retrograde phenomenon in the hard mask. This phenomenon makes it difficult to form wiring sized at the desired design value. Because of this, there is a possibility that reliability will be lowered and the yield will be negatively influenced.

In the method for manufacturing a semiconductor device described in Japanese Patent Publication JP-A-2002-124568, a protective hard mask is further formed on a hard mask that is required to form a wiring groove and a via hole. Therefore, the number of processes to manufacturing a semiconductor device and the cost thereof are increased in the method.

In view of the above, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure that there exists a need for an improved method for manufacturing a semiconductor device. This invention addresses this need in the art as well as other needs, which will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the present invention is to resolve the above-described problems, and to provide a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device in which a facet or a retrograde of a hard mask is prevented.

In accordance with the present invention, a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device with a dual damascene structure comprises the steps of preparing a semiconductor substrate, forming a first wiring layer over said semiconductor substrate, forming an inorganic insulating film over said first wiring layer, forming a via hole in said inorganic insulating film by forming a first resist pattern with an opening on said inorganic insulating film and by etching said inorganic insulating film with said first resist pattern as an etching mask, eliminating said first resist pattern, forming an organic insulating film so that said organic insulting film covers an upper side of said inorganic insulating film and an interior of said via hole, forming a hard mask on said organic insulating film, forming a hard mask pattern by forming a second resist pattern with an opening on said hard mask and by etching said hard mask with said second resist pattern as an etching mask, forming a wiring groove by etching said organic insulating film with said second resist pattern and said hard mask pattern as etching masks until said organic insulating film inside said via hole is eliminated and simultaneously eliminating said second resist pattern, and implanting a conductive substance into said via hole and said wiring groove.

According to the method for manufacturing a semiconductor device of the present invention, before an organic insulating film, which becomes an inter-wiring insulating film, is formed, a via hole is formed by etching an inorganic insulating film, which becomes an inter-via layer insulating film. Therefore, a hard mask is not needed for patterning a via hole, and the number of times a hard mask is exposed to the etching gas can be reduced. Thus, a facet and a retrograde of a hard mask can be inhibited, and the wiring can be sized at a desired design value. Therefore, reliability and yield can be improved.

These and other objects, features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, which, taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Referring now to the attached drawings which form a part of this original disclosure:

FIGS. 1A through 1H are views of diagrams showing a process of manufacturing a semiconductor device in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 2A through 2H are views of diagrams showing a process of manufacturing a semiconductor device in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 3A through 3I are views of diagrams showing a process of manufacturing a semiconductor device in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Selected embodiments of the present invention will now be explained with reference to the drawings. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure that the following descriptions of the embodiments of the present invention are provided for illustration only and not for the purpose of limiting the invention as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Referring now to the drawings, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail.

First Embodiment

FIGS. 1A though 1H are cross-section diagrams to explain a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device with a dual damascene structure in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention.

First, as shown in FIG. 1A, a semiconductor substrate 100 is prepared. The semiconductor substrate 100 has an electronic circuit (not shown in the diagram) formed by a semiconductor element such as a transistor on its main surface. Then, an insulating film 101 is formed on the semiconductor substrate 100, and a lower layer wiring 102, which is made of Cu, is formed on the insulating film 101. Next, a diffusion barrier film 103 is formed on the lower layer wring 102. For example, the diffusion barrier film 103 is made of a silicon nitride film and its thickness is set to be 500 Å. The diffusion barrier film 103 protects diffusion of Cu, which is the material of the lower layer wiring 102, and functions as an etching stopper layer with respect to the lower layer wiring 102. Also, the diffusion barrier film 103 is not necessarily required in the method of manufacturing a semiconductor device in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention. For example, the diffusion barrier film 103 does not have to be formed, if the etch selectivity between the lower layer wiring 102 and an inorganic insulating film 104 (i.e., an object of an etching) can be set to be a larger value in the process of forming a via hole 106 by etching in the process shown below in FIG. 1C. Next, the inorganic insulating film 104 is formed. The inorganic insulating film 104 becomes a inter-via layer insulating film in which a via hole 106 is formed in a process shown below in FIG. 1C. For example, the inorganic insulating film 104 is made of methyl-silsequioxane (MSQ) film and its thickness is set to be 3000 Å. For example, a MSQ film can be formed with a method of spin-coating an MSQ substance and hardening it with a heat treatment in an inert gas atmosphere such as N₂. The MSQ film is a type of inorganic low-k film, and its relative dielectric constant (k) is low (k=2.7˜2.9). Therefore, the inter-wiring capacitance can be reduced by using the MSQ film as the inorganic insulating film 104. Also, a hydrogen-silsequioxane (HSQ) film can be used as a substance of the inorganic insulating film 104, instead of the MSQ film.

Next, as shown in FIG. 1B, a resist is applied on the inorganic insulating film 104 and a resist pattern 105 with an opening 105 a is formed by photolithoetching the resist. For example, the diameter of the opening 105 a is set to be 0.12 μm.

Next, as shown in FIG. 1C, a via hole 106 is formed by etching the inorganic insulating film 104 with the resist pattern 105 as an etching mask. The diameter of the via hole 106 is as large as that of the opening 105 a, and it is set to be 0.12 μm, for instance. For example, in etching the inorganic insulating film 104, octafluocyclobutane (C₄F₈), oxygen (O₂), and argon (Ar) are used as the etching gas. The etching conditions are set as follows. That is, the gas flow rate (sccm) of C₄F₈, O₂, and Ar are set to be 20, 10, and 500 respectively, and the RF Power is set to be 1.5 kW, and the chamber pressure is set to be 40 mTorr. In the process of etching the inorganic insulating film 104 to form the via hole 106, the diffusion barrier film 103 functions as an etching stopper layer toward the lower layer wiring 102. Therefore, the lower layer wiring 102 is not etched. Next, the resist pattern 105 is eliminated with ashing.

Next, as shown in FIG. 1D, an organic insulating film 107 is formed so that it covers the inorganic insulating film 104 and the inside of the via hole 106. The organic insulating film 107 becomes an inter-wiring layer insulating film in which a wiring groove is formed in a process shown below in FIG. 1F. For example, the organic insulating film 107 is made of silicon low-k polymer (SiLK™ of Dow Chemical Company), and its thickness is set to be 3000 Å. The silicon low-k polymer film can be formed by spin-coating the silicon low-k polymer substance and hardening it with a heat treatment in an inert gas atmosphere, such as N₂, for instance. The silicon low-k polymer film is a type of organic low-k film, and its relative dielectric constant is low (k=2.6˜2.8). Therefore, the inter-wiring capacitance can be reduced by using the silicon low-k polymer as the organic insulating film 107. Also, GX-3™ of Honeywell International Inc. can be used as the material of the organic insulating film 107, instead of using SiLK™. Next, a silicon dioxide film, which becomes a hard mask 108, is formed with the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method. Here, the thickness of the hard mask 108 is set so that its designated thickness can remain even after the diffusion barrier film 103 is eliminated with an etching in a process shown below in FIG. 1G.

Next, a resist is applied on the hard mask 108, and a resist pattern 109 with an opening 109 a is formed with photolithoetching, as shown in FIG. 1E. Next, a hard mask 108 a is formed by etching a silicon dioxide film (the hard mask 108) with the resist pattern 109 as an etching mask. For example, in etching the hard mask 108, octafluocyclobutane (C₄F₈), oxygen (O₂), and argon (Ar) are used as the etching gas. The etching conditions are set as follows. That is, the gas flow rate (sccm) of C₄F₈, O₂, and Ar are set to be 20, 10, and 500 respectively, and the RF Power is set to be 1.5 kW, and the chamber pressure is set to be 40 mTorr.

Next, as shown in FIG. 1F, a wiring groove 110 is formed by etching the organic insulating film 107 with the resist pattern 109 and the hard mask pattern 108 a as etching masks. Also, a via hole 106 is exposed by eliminating the organic insulating film 107 that is implanted in the via hole 106. For example, in etching the organic insulating film 107, ammonia (NH₃) is used as the etching gas. The etching conditions are set as follows. That is, the gas flow rate of NH₃ is set to be 100 sccm, and the RF Power is set to be 500 W, and the chamber pressure is set to be 60 mTorr. Also, in this etching process, the resist pattern 109 can also be eliminated simultaneously. This is because the resist pattern 109 and the organic insulating film 107 (the SiLK™ film) are made of an organic substance. Because of this, an ashing treatment to eliminate the resist pattern 109 is not required. Therefore, the number of processes required for the method for manufacturing a semiconductor device can be reduced. Also, the hard mask pattern 108 a is covered with the resist pattern 109 throughout the etching process. Because of this, it is possible to prevent the etching gas from causing the facet and the retrograde of the hard mask 108 a.

Next, as shown in FIG. 1G, a portion of the diffusion barrier film 103 made of a silicon nitride film, which is exposed at the bottom of the via hole 106, is eliminated. For example, in etching the diffusion barrier film 103, trifluoromethane (CHF₃), oxygen (O₂), and argon (Ar) are used as the etching gas. The etching conditions are set as follows. That is, the gas flow rate (sccm) of CHF₃, O₂, and Ar are set to be 30, 2, and 150 respectively, and the RF Power is set to be 800 W, and the chamber pressure is set to be 30 mTorr. In the process of etching the diffusion barrier film 103, the hard mask pattern 108 a, which is made of a silicon dioxide film, is simultaneously etched to the designated thickness.

Next, as shown in FIG. 1H, a barrier layer 111, which blocks invasion of Cu, and a seed layer 112 are sequentially formed so that they can cover the inside surface of the via hole 106 and the wiring groove 110. The barrier layer 111 is a laminated layer that is made of tantalum (Ta) and tantalum nitride (TaN). The layers of the barrier layer 111 are sequentially comprised of a Ta layer, a TaN layer, and a Ta layer. The thickness (Å) of the Ta layer, the TaN layer, and the Ta layer are set to be 50, 400, 50, respectively. Also, the seed layer 112 is made of Cu and its thickness is set to be 1000 Å, for instance. Next, Cu is implanted into the via hole 106 and the wiring groove 110 with the electrolytic plating method, and the excess portion of the implanted Cu is eliminated with the CMP method. Thus, a via plug 113 and an upper layer wiring 114, which are made of Cu, are simultaneously formed.

In the first embodiment of the present invention, a method was described in which a dual damascene structure is formed between the first wiring layer (i.e., the lower layer wiring 102) on the semiconductor substrate (i.e., the semiconductor substrate 100) and the second wiring layer (i.e., the upper layer wiring 114). However, it is possible to form the dual damascene structure of the embodiment between other layers, and a desired multi-layer wiring structure can be formed by conducting the process described in FIGS. 1A through 1H repeatedly.

According to the method for manufacturing a semiconductor device of the first embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 1C, the via hole 106 is formed by etching the inorganic insulating film 104 that becomes the inter-via layer insulating film, before the organic insulating film 107 that becomes an inter-wiring layer insulating film is formed. Therefore, a hard mask is not required to conduct a patterning of the via hole 106, and the number of times the hard mask is exposed to the etching gas can be reduced. Because of this, the facet and the retrograde of the hard mask pattern 108 a are inhibited, the wiring can be sized at the desired design value, and reliability and yield can be improved. Also, as shown in FIG. 1F, in the process of forming the wiring groove 110 and the via hole 106 by eliminating the organic insulating film 107 by etching, the hard mask pattern 108 a is covered with the resist pattern 109 throughout the etching process. Therefore, the facet and the retrograde of the hard mask pattern by the etching gas can be inhibited. Also, the resist pattern 109 can be used for patterning the hard mask pattern 108 a as shown in FIG. 1E, and also can be used as an etching protective film of the hard mask pattern 108 a at the same time as shown in FIG. 1F. Because of this, it is not required to form a dummy film (e.g., a second hard mask pattern) to protect the hard mask pattern 108 a, and the number of steps in the process of manufacturing a semiconductor device and the cost thereof can be reduced. Also, as shown in FIG. 1F, in the process of forming the wiring groove 110 and the via hole 106 by eliminating the organic insulating film 107 by etching, the resist pattern 109 can also be eliminated at the same time, because the resist pattern 109 is made of an organic substance, as with the organic insulating film 107 that is made of the SiLK™ film. Therefore, it is not required to conduct an ashing treatment to eliminate the resist pattern 109, and the number of steps in the process of manufacturing a semiconductor device and manufacturing cost thereof can be reduced.

Second Embodiment

FIGS. 2A though 2H are cross-section diagrams to explain a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device with a dual damascene structure in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention.

First, as shown in FIG. 2A, a semiconductor substrate 200 is prepared. The semiconductor substrate 200 has an electronic circuit (not shown in the diagram) formed by a semiconductor element such as a transistor on its main surface. Then, an insulating film 201 is formed on the semiconductor substrate 200, and a lower layer wiring 202, which is made of Cu, is formed on the insulating film 201. Next, a diffusion barrier film 203 is formed on the lower layer wring 202. For example, the diffusion barrier film 203 is made of a silicon nitride film and its thickness is set to be 500 Å. The diffusion barrier film 203 protects diffusion of Cu, which is the material of the lower layer wiring 202, and functions as an etching stopper layer with respect to the lower layer wiring 202. Also, the diffusion barrier film 203 is not necessarily required in the method of manufacturing a semiconductor device in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention. For example, the diffusion barrier film 203 does not have to be formed, if the etch selectivity between the lower layer wiring 202 and an inorganic insulating film 204 (i.e., an object of an etching) can be set to be a larger value in the process of forming a via hole 206 by etching in the process shown below in FIG. 2C. Next, the inorganic insulating film 204 is formed. The inorganic insulating film 204 becomes a inter-via layer insulating film in which a via hole 206 is formed in a process shown below in FIG. 2C. For example, the inorganic insulating film 204 is made of methyl-silsequioxane (MSQ) film and its thickness is set to be 3000 Å. For example, a MSQ film can be formed with a method of spin-coating an MSQ substance and hardening it with a heat treatment in an inert gas atmosphere such as N₂. The MSQ film is a type of inorganic low-k film, and its relative dielectric constant (k) is low (k=2.7˜2.9). Therefore, the inter-wiring capacitance can be reduced by using the MSQ film as the inorganic insulating film 204. Also, a hydrogen-silsequioxane (HSQ) film can be used as a substance of the inorganic insulating film 204, instead of using the MSQ film.

Next, as shown in FIG. 2B, a resist is applied on the inorganic insulating film 204 and a resist pattern 205 with an opening 205 a is formed by photolithoetching the resist. For example, the diameter of the opening 205 a is set to be 0.12 μm.

Next, as shown in FIG. 2C, a via hole 206 is formed by etching the inorganic insulating film 204 with the resist pattern 205 as an etching mask. The diameter of the via hole 206 is as large as that of the opening 205 a, and it is set to be 0.12 μm, for instance. For example, in etching the inorganic insulating film 204, octafluocyclobutane (C₄F₈), oxygen (O₂), and argon (Ar) are used as the etching gas. The etching conditions are set as follows. That is, the gas flow rate (sccm) of C₄F₈, O₂, and Ar are set to be 20, 10, and 500 respectively, and the RF Power is set to be 1.5 kW, and the chamber pressure is set to be 40 mTorr. Next, the resist pattern 205 is eliminated with ashing.

Next, as shown in FIG. 2D, an organic insulating film 207 is formed so that it covers the inorganic insulating film 204 and the inside of the via hole 206. The organic insulating film 207 becomes an inter-wiring layer insulating film in which a wiring groove 211 is formed in a process shown below in FIG. 2F. For example, the organic insulating film 207 is made of silicon low-k polymer (SiLK™ of Dow Chemical Company), and its thickness is set to be 3000 Å. The silicon low-k polymer film can be formed by spin-coating the silicon low-k polymer substance and hardening it with a heat treatment in an inert gas atmosphere, such as N₂, for instance. The silicon low-k polymer film is a type of organic low-k film, and its relative dielectric constant is low (k=2.6˜2.8). Therefore, the inter-wiring capacitance can be reduced by using the silicon low-k polymer as the organic insulating film 207. Also, GX-3™ of Honeywell International Inc. can be used as the material of the organic insulating film 207, instead of using the SiLK™. Next, a silicon dioxide film that becomes a hard mask 208 and a silicon nitride film that becomes an upper layer hard mask 209 are sequentially formed with the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method. For example, the thickness of the silicon dioxide film that becomes a lower layer hard mask 208 is set to be 500 Å. Also, the thickness of the silicon nitride film that becomes an upper layer hard mask 209 is set to be the same value with that of the diffusion barrier film 203. For example, the thickness is set to be 500 Å.

Next, a resist is applied on the upper layer hard mask 209, and a resist pattern 210 with an opening 210 a is formed with photolithoetching, as shown in FIG. 2E. Next, an upper layer hard mask pattern 209 a and a lower layer hard mask pattern 208 a are formed by etching a silicon dioxide film (i.e., the upper layer hard mask 209) and a silicon dioxide film (i.e., the lower layer hard mask 208) sequentially with the resist pattern 210 as an etching mask. For example, in etching the upper layer hard mask 209, trifluoromethane (CHF₃), oxygen (O₂), and argon (Ar) are used as the etching gas. The etching conditions are set as follows. That is, the gas flow rate (sccm) of CHF₃, O₂, and Ar are set to be 30, 2, and 150 respectively, and the RF Power is set to be 800 W, and the chamber pressure is set to be 30 mTorr. Also, in etching the lower layer hard mask 208, octafluocyclobutane (C₄F₈), oxygen (O₂), and argon (Ar) are used as the etching gas. The etching conditions are set as follows. That is, the gas flow rate (sccm) of C₄F₈, O₂, and Ar are set to be 20, 10, and 500 respectively, and the RF Power is set to be 1.5 kW, and the chamber pressure is set to be 40 mTorr.

Next, as shown in FIG. 2F, a wiring groove 211 is formed by etching the organic insulating film 207 with the resist pattern 210, the upper layer hard mask pattern 209 a, and the lower layer hard mask pattern 208 a as etching masks. Also, a via hole 206 is exposed by eliminating the organic insulating film 207 that is implanted in the via hole 206. For example, in etching the organic insulating film 207, ammonia (NH₃) is used as the etching gas. The etching condition is set as follows. That is, the gas flow rate of NH₃ is set to be 100 sccm, and the RF Power is set to be 500 W, and the chamber pressure is set to be 60 mTorr. Also, in this etching process, the resist pattern 210 can also be eliminated simultaneously. This is because the resist pattern 210 and the organic insulating film 207 (the SiLK™ film) are made of an organic substance. Because of this, an ashing treatment to eliminate the resist pattern 210 is not required, and the number of processes required for the method for manufacturing a semiconductor device can be reduced. Also, the upper layer hard mask pattern 209 a and the lower layer hard mask pattern 208 a are covered with the resist pattern 209 throughout the etching process. Because of this, it is possible to prevent the etching gas from causing the facet and the retrograde of the upper layer hard mask pattern 209 a that is made of a silicon nitride film.

Next, as shown in FIG. 2G, the upper layer hard mask pattern 209 a made of a silicon nitride film is eliminated by etching, and a portion of the diffusion barrier film 203 made of a silicon nitride film, which is exposed at the bottom of the via hole 206, is simultaneously eliminated in this etching. For example, in etching the diffusion barrier film 203, trifluoromethane (CHF₃), oxygen (O₂), and argon (Ar) are used as the etching gas. The etching conditions are set as follows. That is, the gas flow rate (sccm) of CHF₃, O₂, and Ar are set to be 30, 2, and 150 respectively, and the RF Power is set to be 800 W, and the chamber pressure is set to be 30 mTorr.

Next, as shown in FIG. 2H, a barrier layer 212, which blocks invasion of Cu, and a seed layer 213 are sequentially formed so that they can cover the inside surface of the via hole 206 and the wiring groove 211. The barrier layer 212 is a laminated layer that is made of tantalum (Ta) and tantalum nitride (TaN). The layers of the barrier layer 212 are sequentially comprised of a Ta layer, a TaN layer, and a Ta layer. The thickness (Å) of the Ta layer, the TaN layer, and the Ta layer are set to be 50, 400, 50, respectively. Also, the seed layer 213 is made of Cu and its thickness is set to be 1000 Å, for instance. Next, Cu is implanted into the via hole 206 and the wiring groove 211 with the electrolytic plating method, and the excess portion of the implanted Cu is eliminated with the CMP method. Thus, a via plug 214 and an upper layer wiring 215, which are made of Cu, are simultaneously formed.

In the second embodiment of the present invention, a method is described in which a dual damascene structure is formed between the first wiring layer (i.e., the lower layer wiring 202) on the semiconductor substrate (i.e., the semiconductor substrate 200) and the second wiring layer (i.e., the upper layer wiring 215). However, it is possible to form the dual damascene structure of the embodiment between other layers, and a desired multi-layer wiring structure can be formed by conducting the process described in FIGS. 2A through 2H repeatedly.

The method for manufacturing a semiconductor device of the second embodiment of the present invention has the same effects of the first embodiment of the present invention. That is, as shown in FIG. 2C, the via hole 206 is formed by etching the inorganic insulating film 204 that becomes the inter-via layer insulating film, before the organic insulating film 207 that becomes an inter-wiring layer insulating film is formed. Therefore, a hard mask is not required to conduct a patterning of the via hole 206, and the number of times the hard mask is exposed to the etching gas can be reduced. Because of this, the facet and the retrograde of a hard mask, especially of the hard mask pattern 209 a that is made of a silicon nitride film, are inhibited, the wiring can be sized at the desired design value, and reliability and yield can be improved. Also, as shown in FIG. 2F, in the process of forming the wiring groove 211 and the via hole 206 by eliminating the organic insulating film 207 with etching, the upper layer hard mask pattern 209 a and the lower layer hard mask pattern 208 a are covered with the resist pattern 210 throughout the etching process. Therefore, the facet and the retrograde of the hard mask pattern by the etching gas can be inhibited. Also, the resist pattern 210 can be used for patterning the upper layer hard mask pattern 209 a and the lower layer hard mask pattern 208 a as shown in FIG. 2E, and also can be used as an etching protective film of the upper layer hard mask pattern 209 a and the lower layer hard mask pattern 208 a at the same time as shown in FIG. 2F. Because of this, it is not required to form a dummy film (e.g., a third hard mask pattern) to protect the upper layer hard mask pattern 209 a and the lower layer hard mask pattern 208 a, and the number of steps in the process of manufacturing a semiconductor device and the cost thereof can be reduced. Also, as shown in FIG. 2F, in the process of forming the wiring groove 211 and the via hole 206 by eliminating the organic insulating film 207 with etching, the resist pattern 210 can also be eliminated at the same time, because the resist pattern 210 is made of an organic substance, as with the organic insulating film 207 that is made of the SiLK™ film. Therefore, it is not required to conduct an ashing treatment to eliminate the resist pattern 210, and the number of steps in the process of manufacturing a semiconductor device and the manufacturing cost thereof can be reduced.

Third Embodiment

FIGS. 3A though 3H are cross-section diagrams to explain a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device with a dual damascene structure in accordance with the third embodiment of the present invention.

First, as shown in FIG. 3A, a semiconductor substrate 300 is prepared. The semiconductor substrate 300 has an electronic circuit (not shown in the diagram) formed by a semiconductor element such as a transistor on its main surface. Then, an insulating film 301 is formed on the semiconductor substrate 300, and a lower layer wiring 302, which is made of Cu, is formed on the insulating film 301. Next, a diffusion barrier film 303 is formed on the lower layer wring 302. For example, the diffusion barrier film 303 is made of a silicon nitride film and its thickness is set to be 500 Å. The diffusion barrier film 303 protects diffusion of Cu, which is the material of the lower layer wiring 302, and functions as an etching stopper layer with respect to the lower layer wiring 302. Also, the diffusion barrier film 303 is not necessarily required in the method of manufacturing a semiconductor device in accordance with the third embodiment of the present invention. For example, the diffusion barrier film 303 does not have to be formed, if the etch selectivity between the lower layer wiring 302 and an organic insulating film 304 (i.e., an object of an etching) can be set to be a larger value in the process of forming a via hole 306 by etching in the process shown below in FIG. 3C. Next, the organic insulating film 304 is formed. The organic insulating film 304 becomes a inter-via layer insulating film in which a via hole 306 is formed in a process shown below in FIG. 3C. For example, the organic insulating film 304 is made of a SiLK™ film and its thickness is set to be 3000 Å. For example, a SiLK™ film can be formed with a method of spin-coating a SiLK™ substance and hardening it with a heat treatment in an inert gas atmosphere such as N₂. The SiLK™ film is a type of organic low-k film, and its relative dielectric constant (k) is low (k=2.6˜2.8). Therefore, the inter-wiring capacitance can be reduced by using the SiLK™ film as the organic insulating film 304. Also, a GX-3™ film can be used as the material of the organic insulating film 304, instead of the SiLK™ film.

Next, as shown in FIG. 3B, a resist is applied on the organic insulating film 304 and a resist pattern 305 with an opening 305 a is formed by photolithoetching the resist. For example, the diameter of the opening 305 a is set to be 0.12 μm.

Next, as shown in FIG. 3C, a via hole 306 is formed by etching the organic insulating film 304 with the resist pattern 305 as an etching mask. The diameter of the via hole 306 is as large as that of the opening 305 a, and it is set to be 0.12 μm, for instance. For example, in etching the organic insulating film 304, ammonia (NH₃) is used as the etching gas. The etching conditions are set as follows. That is, the gas flow rate of NH₃ is set to be 100 sccm, and the RF Power is set to be 500 W, and the chamber pressure is set to be 60 mTorr. In this etching process, the resist pattern 305 can also be eliminated, because the resist pattern 305 is made of an organic substance as with the SiLK™ film that comprises the organic insulating film 304. Because of this, an ashing treatment is not required to eliminate the resist pattern 305 and the number of manufacturing processes of a semiconductor device can be reduced.

As shown in FIG. 3D, a portion of the diffusion barrier film 303 made of a silicon nitride film, which is exposed at the bottom of the via hole, is eliminated. For example, in etching the diffusion barrier film 303, trifluoromethane (CHF₃), oxygen (O₂), and argon (Ar) are used as the etching gas. The etching conditions are set as follows. That is, the gas flow rate (sccm) of CHF₃, O₂, and Ar are set to be 30, 2, and 150 respectively, and the RF Power is set to be 800 W, and the chamber pressure is set to be 30 mTorr. Also, in this etching process, a surface modification layer 307 is formed by modifying the surface of the organic insulating film 304 that is made of the organic SiLK™ film with a plasma treatment. The surface modification layer 307 has the effect of enhancing its adhesiveness with an inorganic insulating film 308 formed in a process shown below in FIG. 3E.

Next, as shown in FIG. 3E, the inorganic insulating film 308 is formed so that it covers the organic insulating film 304 and the inside of the via hole 306. The inorganic insulating film 308 becomes an inter-wiring layer insulating film in which a wiring groove 312 is formed in a process shown below in FIG. 3H. For example, the inorganic insulating film 308 is made of a methyl-silsequioxane (MSQ) film and its thickness is set to be 3000 Å. For example, a MSQ film can be formed with a method of spin-coating a MSQ substance and hardening it with a heat treatment in an inert gas atmosphere such as N₂. The MSQ film is a type of inorganic low-k film, and its relative dielectric constant (k) is low (k=2.7˜2.9). Therefore, the inter-wiring capacitance can be reduced by using the MSQ film as the inorganic insulating film 308. Also, a hydrogen-silsequioxane (HSQ) film can be used as the material of the inorganic insulating film 308, instead of the MSQ film. Next, a silicon dioxide film that becomes a lower layer hard mask 309 and a silicon nitride film that becomes an upper layer hard mask 310 are sequentially formed. For example, the thickness of the silicon dioxide film that becomes the lower layer hard mask 309 is set to be 500 Å. Also, the thickness of the silicon nitride film that becomes the upper layer hard mask 310 is set to be that of the diffusion barrier film 303, for example, 500 Å.

Next, a resist is applied on the upper layer hard mask 310, and a resist pattern 311 with an opening 311 a is formed with photolithoetching, as shown in FIG. 3F. Next, an upper layer hard mask pattern 310 a and a lower layer hard mask pattern 309 a are formed by etching a silicon nitride film (i.e., the upper layer hard mask 310) and a silicon dioxide film (i.e., the lower layer hard mask 309) with the resist pattern 311 as an etching mask. For example, in etching the upper layer hard mask 310, trifluoromethane (CHF₃), oxygen (O₂), and argon (Ar) are used as the etching gas. The etching conditions are set as follows. That is, the gas flow rate (sccm) of CHF₃, O₂, and Ar are set to be 30, 2, and 150 respectively, and the RF Power is set to be 800 W, and the chamber pressure is set to be 30 mTorr. For example, in etching the lower layer hard mask 309, octafluocyclobutane (C₄F₈), oxygen (O₂), and argon (Ar) are used as the etching gas. The etching conditions are set as follows. That is, the gas flow rate (sccm) of C₄F₈, O₂, and Ar are set to be 20, 10, and 500 respectively, and the RF Power is set to be 1.5 kW, and the chamber pressure is set to be 40 mTorr.

Next, as shown in FIG. 3G, the resist pattern 311 is eliminated with an ashing treatment. In a process shown below in FIG. 3H, if an ashing treatment is conducted for the resist pattern 311 after the formation of the inorganic insulating film 308 made of the MSQ film, there is a possibility that the lower layer wiring 302, which is made of Cu and exposed at the bottom of the via hole 306, will be damaged. Therefore, damage of the lower layer wiring by this ashing treatment is prevented by eliminating the resist pattern 311.

Next, as shown in FIG. 3H, a wiring groove 312 is formed by etching the inorganic insulating film 308 with the upper layer hard mask pattern 310 a and the lower layer hard mask pattern 309 a as etching masks. Also, a via hole 306 is exposed by eliminating the inorganic insulating film 308 that is implanted in the via hole 306. For example, in etching the inorganic insulating film 308, octafluocyclobutane (C₄F₈), oxygen (O₂), and argon (Ar) are used as the etching gas. The etching conditions are set as follows. That is, the gas flow rate (sccm) of C₄F₈, O₂, and Ar are set to be 20, 10, and 500 respectively, and the RF Power is set to be 1.5 kW, and the chamber pressure is set to be 40 mTorr. Also, in this etching process, the upper layer hard mask pattern 310 a made of a silicon nitride film can also be eliminated simultaneously. Also, in this etching process, the value of the etch selectivity between the inorganic insulating film 308 made of the MSQ film and the organic insulating film 304 made of the SiLK™ film is more than 50. Therefore, only the inorganic insulating film 308 made of the MSQ film can be effectively eliminated.

Next, as shown in FIG. 3I, a barrier layer 313, which blocks invasion of Cu, and a seed layer 314 are sequentially formed, so that they can cover the inside surface of the via hole 306 and the wiring groove 312. The barrier layer 313 is a laminated layer that is made of tantalum (Ta) and tantalum nitride (TaN). The layers of the barrier layer 313 are sequentially comprised of a Ta layer, a TaN layer, and a Ta layer. The thickness (Å) of the Ta layer, the TaN layer, and the Ta layer are set to be 50, 400, 50, respectively. Also, the seed layer 314 is made of Cu and its thickness is set to be 1000 Å, for instance. Next, Cu is implanted into the via hole 306 and the wiring groove 312 with the electrolytic plating method, and the excess portion of the implanted Cu is eliminated with the CMP method. Thus, a via plug 315 and an upper layer wiring 316, which are made of Cu, are simultaneously formed.

In the third embodiment of the present invention, a method is described in which a dual damascene structure is formed between the first wiring layer (i.e., the lower layer wiring 302) on the semiconductor substrate (i.e., the semiconductor substrate 300) and the second wiring layer (i.e., the upper layer wiring 316). However, it is possible to form the dual damascene structures of the embodiment between other layers, and a desired multi-layer wiring structure can be formed by conducting the process described in FIGS. 3A through 3I repeatedly.

According to the method for manufacturing a semiconductor device of the third embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 3C, the via hole 306 is formed by etching the organic insulating film 304 that becomes an inter-via layer insulating film, before the inorganic insulating film 308 that becomes an inter-wiring layer insulating film is formed. Therefore, a hard mask is not required to conduct a patterning of the via hole 306, and the number of times the hard mask is exposed to the etching gas can be reduced. Because of this, the facet and the retrograde of the upper layer hard mask pattern 310 a made of a silicon nitride film are inhibited, the wiring size can be formed at the desired design value, and reliability and yield can be improved. Also, in a process of eliminating the diffusion barrier film 303 that is exposed at the bottom of the via hole 306 shown in FIG. 3D, the surface modification layer 307 is formed by modifying the surface of the organic insulating film 304 made of the organic SiLK™ film with a plasma treatment. Therefore, its adhesiveness with an inorganic insulating film 308 formed on the organic insulating film can be enhanced, and reliability and yield can be improved. Also, as shown in FIG. 3C, in the process of forming the via hole 306 by eliminating the organic insulating film 304 by etching, the resist pattern 305 can also be eliminated at the same time, because the resist pattern 305 is made of an organic substance, as with the organic insulating film 304 that is made of the SiLK™ film. Therefore, it is not required to conduct an ashing treatment to eliminate the resist pattern 305, and the number of steps in the process of manufacturing a semiconductor device and the manufacturing cost thereof can be reduced.

This application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2004-368064. The entire disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No. 2004-368064 is hereby incorporated herein by reference.

The terms of degree such as “nearly” used herein mean a reasonable amount of deviation of the modified term such that the end result is not significantly changed. For example, the terms can be construed as including a deviation of at least ±5% of the modified term if this deviation would not negate the meaning of the word it modifies.

While only selected embodiments have been chosen to illustrate the present invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure that various changes and modifications can be made herein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. Furthermore, the foregoing descriptions of the embodiments according to the present invention are provided for illustration only, and not for the purpose of limiting the invention as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents. Thus, the scope of the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. 

1. A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device with a dual damascene structure, comprising the steps of: preparing a semiconductor substrate; forming a first wiring layer over said semiconductor substrate; forming an inorganic insulating film over said first wiring layer; forming a via hole in said inorganic insulating film by forming a first resist pattern with an opening on said inorganic insulating film and by etching said inorganic insulating film with said first resist pattern as an etching mask; eliminating said first resist pattern; forming an organic insulating film so that said organic insulting film covers an upper side of said inorganic insulating film and an interior of said via hole; forming a hard mask on said organic insulating film; forming a hard mask pattern by forming a second resist pattern with an opening on said hard mask and by etching said hard mask with said second resist pattern as an etching mask; forming a wiring groove by etching said organic insulating film with said second resist pattern and said hard mask pattern as etching masks until said organic insulating film inside said via hole is eliminated and simultaneously eliminating said second resist pattern; and implanting a conductive substance into said via hole and said wiring groove.
 2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of: forming a diffusion barrier film on said first wiring layer after forming said first wiring layer over said semiconductor substrate, said inorganic insulating film being formed on said diffusion barrier film; and eliminating a portion of said diffusion barrier film that is exposed at the bottom of said via hole after forming said wiring groove and simultaneously eliminating said second resist pattern.
 3. The method according to claim 2, wherein said hard mask is comprised of a first hard mask and a second hard mask; and said hard mask pattern is comprised of a first hard mask pattern and a second hard mask pattern.
 4. A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device with a dual damascene structure, comprising the steps of: preparing a semiconductor substrate; forming a first wiring layer over said semiconductor substrate; forming an organic insulating film over said first wiring layer; forming a via hole in said organic insulating film by forming a first resist pattern with an opening on said organic insulating film and by etching said organic insulating film with said first resist pattern as an etching mask and simultaneously eliminating said first resist pattern; forming an inorganic insulating film so that said inorganic insulting film covers an upper side of said organic insulating film and an interior of said via hole; forming a first hard mask and a second hard mask on said inorganic insulating film; forming a first hard mask pattern and a second hard mask pattern by forming a second resist pattern with an opening on said second hard mask and by etching said first hard mask and said second hard mask with said second resist pattern as an etching mask; eliminating said second resist pattern; forming a wiring groove by etching said inorganic insulating film with said first hard mask pattern and said second hard mask pattern as etching masks until said inorganic insulating film inside said via hole is eliminated and simultaneously eliminating said second resist pattern; and implanting a conductive substance into said via hole and said wiring groove.
 5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising the steps of: forming a diffusion barrier film on said first wiring layer after forming said first wiring layer over said semiconductor substrate, said organic insulating film being formed on said diffusion barrier film; and eliminating a portion of said diffusion barrier film that is exposed at the bottom of said via hole after forming said via hole in said organic insulating film and simultaneously eliminating said first resist pattern.
 6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said hard mask is a silicon dioxide film.
 7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said inorganic insulating film is a methyl-silsequioxane (MSQ) film.
 8. The method according to claim 4, wherein said inorganic insulating film is a methyl-silsequioxane (MSQ) film.
 9. The method according to claim 1, wherein said organic insulating film is a silicon low-k polymer film.
 10. The method according to claim 4, wherein said organic insulating film is a silicon low-k polymer film.
 11. The method according to claim 1, wherein said inorganic insulating film is methyl-silsequioxane (MSQ) film and said organic insulating film is a silicon low-k polymer film.
 12. The method according to claim 4, wherein said inorganic insulating film is methyl-silsequioxane (MSQ) film and said organic insulating film is a silicon low-k polymer film.
 13. The method according to claim 2, wherein said diffusion barrier film is a silicon nitride film.
 14. The method according to claim 5, wherein said diffusion barrier film is a silicon nitride film.
 15. The method according to claim 3, wherein said first hard mask is a silicon dioxide film, and said second hard mask is a silicon nitride film.
 16. The method according to claim 4, wherein said first hard mask is a silicon dioxide film, and said second hard mask is a silicon nitride film.
 17. The method according to claim 3, wherein said second hard mask is eliminated simultaneously with the elimination of said diffusion barrier film.
 18. The method according to claim 5, wherein a modified layer is formed by conducting a plasma treatment of a surface of said organic insulating film simultaneously with the elimination of said diffusion barrier film.
 19. A method for etching a dual damascene structure comprised of an inorganic insulating film, an organic insulating film, and a hard mask sequentially laminated over a first wiring layer, the method comprising the steps of: forming a via hole in said inorganic insulating film by: (a) forming said inorganic insulating film over said first wiring layer; and (b) forming a first resist pattern with an opening on said inorganic insulating film and etching said inorganic insulating film with said first resist pattern as an etching mask; forming a hard mask pattern by: (a) eliminating said first resist pattern; (b) forming said organic insulating film so that said organic insulating film covers a upper side of said inorganic insulating film and an inside of said via hole; (c) forming said hard mask on said organic insulating film; (d) forming a second resist pattern with an opening on said hard mask; and (e) etching said hard mask with said second resist pattern as an etching mask; and forming a wiring groove by etching said organic insulating film with said second resist pattern and said hard mask pattern as etching masks until said organic insulating film inside said via hole is eliminated and simultaneously eliminating said second resist pattern.
 20. The method according to claim 19, wherein said dual damascene structure further includes a diffusion barrier film formed on a first wiring layer; and wherein said step of forming said inorganic insulating film over said first wiring layer includes forming said diffusion barrier on said first wiring layer, said inorganic insulating film being formed on said diffusion barrier film; and further comprising a step of eliminating a portion of said diffusion barrier film that is exposed at the bottom of said via hole after forming a wiring groove and simultaneously eliminating said second resist pattern.
 21. The method according to claim 20, wherein said hard mask is comprised of a first hard mask and a second hard mask; and said hard mask pattern is comprised of a first hard mask pattern and a second hard mask pattern.
 22. The method according to claim 21, wherein said second hard mask pattern is eliminated simultaneously with the elimination of said diffusion barrier film.
 23. A method for etching a dual damascene structure comprising an organic insulating film, an inorganic insulating film, a first hard mask, and a second hard mask sequentially laminated over a first wiring layer, the method comprising the steps of: forming a via hole in said organic insulating film by: (a) forming said organic insulating film over said first wiring layer; (b) forming a first resist pattern with an opening on said organic insulating film; and (c) etching said organic insulating film with said first resist pattern as an etching mask; while simultaneously etching said first resist pattern; forming a first hard mask pattern and a second hard mask pattern by: (a) forming said inorganic insulating film so that said inorganic insulating film covers an upper side of said organic insulating film and an inside of said via hole; (b) forming a second resist pattern with an opening on said second hard mask, and; (c) etching said first hard mask and said second hard mask with said second resist pattern as an etching mask; and forming a wiring groove by: (a) eliminating said second resist pattern; and (b) etching said inorganic insulating film with said first hard mask pattern and said second hard mask pattern as etching masks until said inorganic insulating film inside said via hole is eliminated; and while simultaneously eliminating said second hard mask pattern.
 24. The method according to claim 23, wherein said dual damascene structure further includes a diffusion barrier film formed on a first wiring layer; wherein said step of forming said organic insulating film over said first wiring layer includes forming said diffusion barrier on said first wiring layer, said organic insulating film being formed on said diffusion barrier film; and further comprising a step of eliminating a portion of said diffusion barrier film that is exposed at the bottom of said via hole after forming a via hole in said organic insulating film while simultaneously etching said first resist pattern.
 25. The method according to claim 24, wherein a modified layer is formed by conducting a plasma treatment of a surface of said organic insulating film simultaneously with the elimination of said diffusion barrier film. 